The present invention relates to a method of detecting recirculation in an arteriovenous shunt of a patient during ongoing hemodialysis.
Patients suffering from severe kidney insufficiency or kidney failure require dialysis, as is known. For this, the patients concerned have two options of dialysis, on the one hand in a dialysis center of a hospital and, on the other hand, self-dialysis in the domestic area with ambulant dialysis units—after having been introduced by the nephrologist in charge and trained specialized staff—.
For the purpose of the present invention, by the term “dialysis” or “hemodialysis” any chronically applicable blood purification therapy is understood which comprises hemodialysis, hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration.
For performing dialysis in a patient suffering from chronic kidney insufficiency typically a so called arteriovenous shunt constituting a direct connection of an artery to a vein is laid by operation. One of the most frequent shunts laid for dialysis treatment is the so called Cimino shunt in which—after vascular preparation—the radial artery is connected to the cephalic vein.
Such shunt permits a simple vascular puncture for receiving the cannulas required for dialysis and moreover has a sufficient blood flow for performing hemodialysis due to the pressure and flow conditions prevailing in the shunt.